Hidden Art

Graphic design is everywhere. Whether or not it is considered art is a different question. Some graphic design has the strategy of standing out with florescent colors and big bold ugly fonts. Every type of design has its place. Sometimes big bold ugly design is exactly what is needed to get noticed.

But then there are these hidden pieces of art that are jut sitting under our nose. It isn’t in a frame or in a museum. It can be on a storefront sign, on a t-shirt, or even something as simple as a coupon handed to you at the mall. These little creations exist because of graphic designers who are passionate about what they do. Those simple artistic creations can take weeks of tedious work. They often go above and beyond what is required just because they can’t stand their work to be less than it’s potential. It challenges designers and pushes them. They often learn new ways to shade, blend, and combine shapes to create new cool effects that perhaps nobody else had thought of before.

Great graphic design doesn’t have to be million dollar logos or extravagant images with thousands of layers and colors. It can be as simple as taking extra time to make sure every shade of blue and red perfectly complements each other. It can also be as subtle as a more refined typeface that blends just a little better and communicates a little more dynamically with the graphic. Many graphic designers will tell you that the difference between good design and great design is often in the small details.

When choosing a graphic designer, make sure you look at past works. Not just the two or three they might have featured in their portfolio. Make sure nearly every piece they do has been picked over and obsessed over until it is the absolute best it can be. The love of good artistic design is what splits up the pack more often than not.